Re: [asa] Medicine and Evolution

Hi all,

One consideration that seems to me pertinent in discussing this issue is
the common YEC distinction between macro- and micro-evolution.

I should have thought that a medical researcher who holds to a YEC
position could well have allowed Rich's point about the importance of
understanding biological evolution in the context of their discipline -
only they would argue that what is seen in the lab is variation within a
particular "kind." I further imagine that there would be a disclaimer to
the effect that such variation cannot be extrapolated to discussions
about biological evolution of the broad "molecule to man" variety. And I
think it quite obvious that they would, as always, consider this later
discussion to be quite irrelevant to questions of specific cases of
variation within specific "kinds."

In this I'm trying to place myself in the shoes of a YEC proponent and
it seems to me that such a person would allow that viruses may well
demonstrate quite a remarkable degree of intergenerational variation -
but they would emphasis that one is not likely to walk into one's lab in
the morning and find an elephant sitting in one's petri dish (the point
being exaggerated for effect, of course).

So in some respects and with some qualifications I can imagine a YEC
proponent agreeing with the substantial thrust of Rich's position -
albeit in regard to medical research rather than medical practice. I'll
defer to Jack's judgment on the minimal importance of an understanding
of evolutionary theory in later (not least because it confirms my own
perceptions on the matter!).

Blessings,
Murray Hogg
Pastor, East Camberwell Baptist Church, Victoria, Australia
Post-Grad Student (MTh), Australian College of Theology

Jack wrote:
> I dont see anything in this report that has to do with agreeing with, or
> understanding evolution. I know what you are saying, that antibiotic
> use selects for resistance, and so the organism evolves. But a
> physician can be perfectly competent, and a surgeon be perfectly
> qualified, and skilled without any knowledge of this. It doesnt take a
> brain surgeon to know which antibiotics to give, when, and why.
>
> I know what it takes to practice medicine, I do it every day. I am not
> wrong, an understanding of evolution is not required. Practicing
> medicine involves some competency in many different disciplines, and no
> physician can master all of them. For example, I interpret MRIs all
> the time without understanding the physics involved. I dont really have
> a dog in this fight. I am an evolutionist. I dont think what Egnor
> said was inflammatory or inaccurate. I think you are blowing his
> comments out of proportion, at least those comments we are talking about
> in this thread. I think you are reacting against all of ID and not just
> what Egnor said. What he said isnt that big of a deal.

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Received on Fri May 30 21:53:46 2008